Meet the Keiretsu Forum Northwest Team

Nathan McDonald

Northwest Region

Chairman

Nathan brings a unique entrepreneurial business and organizational development background developed during years of hands-on, active leadership and operational experience. As one of the Northwest’s leading organizers of entrepreneurial and investor relations-focused media and funding events, he has facilitated scores of engagements and successfully promoted hundreds of privately financed high-growth companies.

In June 2014, Nathan became CEO of Keiretsu Capital with the mission of fostering closer ties between Keiretsu Forum angels, the institutional investor community and Keiretsu Forum portfolio companies. Keiretsu Capital provides access to proprietary deal flow by investing alongside the angels, providing additional capital to complete rounds and acting to source follow on capital where appropriate.

Nathan co-founded and currently serves as Chairman of the Northwest Region of the Keiretsu Forum global angel investment group. He wrote the business plan and designed the organizational structure, which led to the initial license agreement with global Keiretsu Forum. He recruited the team, implemented policies and procedures, designed, and coordinated multi-faceted events. As part of his overall regional growth strategy, he created and implemented controlled expansion activities in Seattle, Bellevue, Boise, Portland, Spokane, Victoria and Vancouver, B.C. Nathan’s leadership and personal networking skills combined to quickly build the region into the fastest growing angel investment group in the nation, adding over 650 investor members and facilitating over $164 million in funding for over 240 companies.

In 2004, Nathan became Managing Director of Venture Velocity, a business growth consulting organization. He recruited a talent pool of executive-level consultants from among the most successful and fastest growing companies in the region. Nathan has been a moving force in building and shaping investor networks for two emerging fund managers including The University Funds and Pacific West Land.

Nathan has dedicated much of his career to stimulating growth-stage capital investment including as lead organizer for the Northwest’s most successful venture funding conference, raising over $30 million for 15 growth companies. As Co-founder and Managing Director of the Investment Forum, he produced the highest quality educational programs, social events, and investment forums in the region in collaboration with more than thirty-five industry groups and hundreds of different sponsors. Nathan co-founded an industry leading showcase event and media piece, which attracted over 500 of the region’s most influential investors and CEO’s to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments.

Nathan is a graduate of University of Washington Michael G. Foster Business School with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration & Finance with an emphasis in entrepreneurial leadership and venture finance. He has been a consistent supporter and volunteer for his alma mater, serving as a sponsor and judge for the UW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition for many years. Nathan and his wife Brianna live in the Wedgwood neighborhood in Seattle with their three young children Evan and Wyatt and Ana Leigh.

Juan Arango

Northwest RegionDue Diligence Director

Juan Arango. Juan has managed business process improvement, led sales teams, advised companies on strategy, and has a Master of Science degree in Finance and an MBA. In 2011 he cofounded a gamified education company, a wearable technology company, and has been preparing early stage startups for angel investing and due diligence processes since then. Juan coordinates 10-15 startup due diligence processes at any one time to guarantee their risks are properly assessed, and makes sure Keiretsu members invest fully aware of the challenges their companies face. Bringing together quality deals and smart money, Juan’s interests include motorcycles and building financial models for startups.

Meet the Keiretsu Forum Northwest Team - Chapter Presidents

Loren Lyon

Bellevue/Eastside

Chapter President

Loren Lyon currently serves as the Bellevue/Eastside Chapter President for Keiretsu Forum Northwest. Loren is a serial entrepreneur who in addition to his role at Keiretsu is currently CEO at the local DME early stage company, Magic Wheels. He brings a strong skill set in managing start up technology companies.

He was CEO at SelfCHARGE Inc. from 1996 until 2006. The company was consistently listed as one of the fastest growing in the NW and he was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the NW in Manufacturing in 2005. Mr. Lyon orchestrated a sale of the company in 2006 and left the company in early 2007. He was CEO at several other high tech companies in the Northwest and has been a senior manager at companies such as Celerex, Data I/O, Applied Microsystems, Kistler Morse.

Loren has a passion for technology and entrepreneurship that aligns well with Keiretsu. One of the greatest strengths of our country is our creativity and entrepreneurial nature. Putting good deals together with good knowledgeable investors is one of the most powerful things that can be done to bring our economy back to good health.

Michael Volker

Vancouver/British Columbia

Chapter President

Michael Volker is an entrepreneur active in the development of new high technology ventures. A University of Waterloo Engineering grad, Mike started his own company (Volker-Craig Ltd) in 1973. He sold this company in 1981 and then decided to work with entrepreneurs in building new companies. He is presently the director of Simon Fraser University's Innovation Office. His latest two projects are: Greenangel Energy Corp, [GAE.V] a public company that invests in green technologies and WUTIF - the Western Universities Technology Innovation Fund - an "angel" fund for start-ups. To further encourage tech entrepreneurship, Mike runs the Vancouver Angel Network, VANTEC and he's also quite active with New Ventures BC - an annual business competition. Mike was also chairman of the Vancouver Enterprise Forum for several years.

Thealzel Lee

Vancouver/British Columbia

Chapter Director

Thealzel is an entrepreneur, angel investor and business strategy adviser to companies with a focus on strategy development and operational alignment. Thealzel is a senior partner with management consulting firm Rocket Builders, co-manages the monthly Vancouver Angel Technology Network (VANTEC) and the Keiretsu Forum Northwest Region-Vancouver Chapter for her fellow angel investors. She is co-founder of Nelsa Investment (VCC) Inc.

Jolene Anderson

Boise/Sun Valley

Chapter President

Jolene Anderson is a seasoned business executive working with a global client list seeking to invest in commercial real estate and providing business facilitation for emerging companies, both public and private. Ms. Anderson has facilitated the sales and financing of hotels, resorts, and multifamily properties in WA, OR, ID, CA, FL, and HI since 1989. Her extensive network of business executives and mentors includes key players in industry and commerce. She has advised companies as a business strategist and facilitated expansion into US markets, including advising product companies who desired to expand their product line into the US and Canada and was a principal in a global spa/health education company and corporate travel company. Recent assignments include consulting for a public company, located in Boise, ID, focusing on science, technology, engineering and math for K-12 students (STEM) education, where she served as the Director of Investor and Community Relations. She has also advised companies in the Seattle biotech community and serves on the boards of non profits focusing on healthy communities and education. Ms. Anderson served as a volunteer at the Chris Elliott Fund for Brain Cancer Research, Washington Women for Employment and Education, Table Captain for the Annual YWCA Fundraiser, volunteer for Children’s Orthopedic Hospital and is past President of the Kiwanis Club of Seattle, and Soroptimist International Seattle Metro. She has produced a radio show on healthy families and was the editor of an online magazine. She is a problem solver committed to providing consulting for companies through introducing strategic partnerships and mentorship.